President Bola Tinubu has withheld his assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Bill, 2025, citing concerns over a controversial clause related to the retention of crime proceeds.
The President’s position was formally conveyed in a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session at the House of Representatives.
Invoking Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Tinubu explained that the bill proposes granting the NDLEA the authority to keep a portion of proceeds recovered from drug-related offences.
He argued that such a provision contradicts current financial laws.
According to the President, all crime-related proceeds are, by law, required to be deposited into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account.
He emphasized that any disbursement to recovery agencies, including the NDLEA, must be authorized by the President with the approval of both the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.
Tinubu stated that there was no justification to amend a framework that already ensures accountability through institutional oversight.